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Lauric acid: a promising antimicrobial for the selective inhibition of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains associated with infection

Morais, E.; Magalhaes, F.; Bouchami, O.; Barros, D. P. C.; Goncalves, L. G.; Oliva, A.; Miragaia, M.; Coelho, A. V.

2025-10-07 microbiology
10.1101/2025.10.06.680683 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Staphylococcus epidermidis, a human skin colonizer and opportunistic pathogen associated with medical device infections, comprises two phylogenetic lineages: A/C (infection and colonization strains) and B (primarily colonization strains). Given the need for antibiotic alternatives, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of skin-derived fatty acids--lauric, palmitoleic, and linoleic acids--against representative strains from both lineages. Fatty acids reduced exponential growth rate and maximum population, with greater effects on the A/C strain. Lauric and palmitoleic acids decreased colony radius in the B strain. Importantly, lauric acid showed no cytotoxicity on a 3D reconstructed human epidermis model. Our findings demonstrate differential susceptibility between lineages, with A/C strains showing greater sensitivity to all tested fatty acids than B strains. These results highlight the potential of lauric acid as a topical formulation for selective inhibition of S. epidermidis growth, offering a promising approach for preventing pathogenic strain proliferation while preserving beneficial skin colonizers.

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